Veteran broadcaster Russ Langer is in his first season with the Rebels.

Nov. 8, 2012

New UNLV Football play-by-play announcer Russ Langer shares his insights here at UNLVRebels.com each week during the 2012 season. Langer is a seven-time Nevada Sportscaster of the Year and recently completed his 13th season calling games for the Las Vegas 51s Triple-A team.

WEEK 10 EDITION:

The Colorado State Game

You could almost see the burden of expectation lifted from the shoulders of UNLV players as they handed New Mexico a 35-7 thrashing last Saturday. Without a doubt, they played far more downs of mistake-free football than they had in any game since last year. Running back Bradley Randle enjoyed both his first 100-yard game on the ground and his first touchdown reception through the air. The most telling statistic? Easy. The Rebels averaged a mind-blowing 10 yards per carry. Defensively, it was nice to see the Scarlet & Gray limit a respectable offense like the Lobos to a mere seven points. This is a team that racked up 29 against Boise State. The turning point? That's another easy one. The Rebs answered New Mexico's only touchdown by marching 97 yards in three plays. Game over ... There is virtually no way to measure the effect that a rare UNLV road win would have on this team's confidence ... Colorado State, at best, is having an off year, and perhaps the most telling figure from their loss last week to Wyoming was the Cowboys' staggering total of 15 third down conversions in 20 attempts ... Senior offensive lineman Doug Zisman will certainly be missed next season. He's a tough, savvy, hard-working expert in trench warfare. Plus, you've got love any collegiate athlete who uses words like "egalitarian" in a press conference ... Broadcasting these games is a rewarding and satisfying experience, and that much more fun when the Rebels pull out a "W."